B-17 bomber arrives in Winnipeg

Impressive from near and far, the sound of the B-17 bomber's four Wright Cyclone radial engines was distinctive as it approached. - BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESSKnown as a 'Flying Fortress' during the Second World War, B-17s were common in strategic bombing campaigns against Germany by the U.S. Army Air Forces. - BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESSThis B-17, dubbed Sentimental Journey, was used in Pacific campaigns during the Second World War. - BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESSAn Air Canada Jazz flight sits in the foreground as Sentimental Journey approaches the runway. - BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESSIn addition to serving during the Second World War in the Pacific theatre, Sentimental Journey has operated as an air-sea rescue craft as well as a forest fire fighter. It began making appearances at air shows after being fully restored. - BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESSSentimental Journey's nose art features the likeness of World War II-era pinup Betty Grable. - BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESSRestoration included details inside and out of every section of the plane, including the nose, where the bombardier and navigator would sit. - BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESSFree Press photojournalist Boris Minkevich used a fisheye lens to capture the nose of the B-17 bomber in this photo. - BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESSThe bottom gunner portion of the plane. - BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESSA dummy sits in the tail gunner position. - BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESSHundreds of people flocked to the Western Canada Aviation Museum to watch Sentimental Journey land, and to get a tour of the old warbird. - BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESSVisitors line up to take a tour inside the B-17 bomber. - BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESSAn interior shot of the nose of the plane. - BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESSA table with documents in the nose of the B-17 bomber. - BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESSA view of the B-17's cockpit. - BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESSThe waist gunner section of the B-17 bomber. - Boris MinkevichThe waist gunner section of Sentimental Journey. - BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESSThe top gunner turret section of Sentimental Journey. - BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESSBomb bays on a B-17 could hold up to 8000 pounds. - BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESSThe tail gunner dummy is seen from the inside of the plane. - BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS

A piece of aviation history touched down in Winnipeg Monday. A B-17 bomber, one of only a handful that are still airworthy, will spend a week at the Western Canada Aviation Museum. Free Press photojournalist Boris Minkevich caught the bomber, dubbed Sentimenal Journey, both in the air and on the ground.

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